Myanmar’s junta announced late yesterday that it had arrested 16 civilians — including a 6-year-old child — over the May 22 shooting death of retired Maj. Gen. Chit Tun Aung in Yangon’s Mayangone Township.
Chit Tun Aung, a prominent regime figure awarded an honorary title by Min Aung Hlaing in 2023, was shot and killed by Golden Valley Warriors (GVW) urban resistance fighters in front of his residence. He was also an instructor at the National Defense College, teaching Internal Security & Counterterrorism and International Relations. Following his death, junta second-in-command Soe Win reportedly ordered intense efforts to capture those responsible.
In its latest statement, the junta labeled the arrested individuals — among them a 6-year-old — as suspects in the assassination.
Golden Valley Warriors, for their part, condemned the junta’s announcement, saying that labeling an innocent child as a perpetrator was pure fabrication and that their fighters remained unharmed.
“We really have nothing special to add. We just feel deep sympathy for innocent civilians. All of our fighters are safe and unharmed,” a GVW spokesperson said.
A CDM teacher commented that based on past patterns, the junta’s statements often feature fabricated accusations against civilians — including children, taxi drivers, and CDM participants — to craft its narrative.
